Good old Met Police... Not

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So my FAC & SGC & EU Firearms Pass are up for renewal in the next couple of months. So like a responsible firearms owner I filled my application out in good time. As I was sending back all 3 Certifcates I thought best to send it by courier as it's a sensative document you don't want going through the post. As well all know how secure Royal Mail is.

So my courier (a national provider) Picks up my envelope and duly drives it over to the office, finds the front desk and say 'I've got a letter for the Firearms Enquire Team' Only to be told you can't deliver letter by courier and it can only be delivered by Royal Mail... The courier firm call me to say they won't accept the letter. I ask them to wait and try and call the department.

i call up the FET and say, what's going on? Why can't a courier deliver a sensitive document to your department of all departments. FET response was well you should only send letters by Royal Mail to this office and we can't accept courier deliverys. after some much fast talking the chap agrees if not begrudgingly to go down and pick up the letter. Tuts at me down the phone and reminded me several times again that this shouldn't have happened and I'm a very naughty boy for wanting to send a very sensative letter hand delivered be it by courier. In the back of my mind I'm thinking, some favour your doing me, I've enclosed a cheque for £60 odd quid and who made up the rule only Royal Mail can be used to deliver letters to the civil service...

i regularly hear that a lot of shooters have a good relationship with there FET and will often 'pop in' for a chat or to amend a variation. Well fat chance with the Met Police.

And this is from the force sorry 'service' that has already lost a variation they sent to me. God knowns where that certificate is roaming and who's hands it ended up in. Scary, as they send the document unsigned and with slots to be filled by second class mail.

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That's shocking. To be honest I can understand it for normal post as courtiers have access inner sanctum minus security checks and stuff plus they could carry anything dodgy in vs Royal Mail where it goes through "security". Still for the firearms stuff you would think they would make an exception but hey ho.

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No im not saying thank you. Why on earth is a letter delivered to the from desk by Royal Mail any difrent to a letter delivered by DHL?? It seems every other force you can actually go down and hand them the application in in person. The Met are as always unhelpful and awkward.

Well-Known Member

That's shocking. To be honest I can understand it for normal post as courtiers have access inner sanctum minus security checks and stuff plus they could carry anything dodgy in vs Royal Mail where it goes through "security". Still for the firearms stuff you would think they would make an exception but hey ho.

Probably something daft like if RM goes to a Post Room. Courier probably front desk or something like that unchecked could be anthrax or anything. Sounds silly I know but that's how these people think because whilst you and I mean well. Plenty of people who don't.

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So how do they cope with personal delivery by hand? I always take my variations / renewal documents to my police HQ on the basis that at least I know they got there. I find it interesting that they always return my FAC with spaces for acquiring firearms by second class post, but there you go.

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I used to think so as well.
So I asked my feb years ago why this happened....
He said we are told to use signed for service to protect ourselves, generally we are writing to inform them of a change is gun ownership.
I signed for service does at least prove we sent something.
It has nothing to do with the security of the certificate, which is why we are not required to send variations and renewals in using a signed or service.
I realise that most of do, but there is no requirement to do so.

These days we probably never need to use a signed for service as notifications of sale or purchase are in the main done by email.

Well-Known Member

So how do they cope with personal delivery by hand? I always take my variations / renewal documents to my police HQ on the basis that at least I know they got there. I find it interesting that they always return my FAC with spaces for acquiring firearms by second class post, but there you go.

Well-Known Member

Imagine if everybody sent applications by courier or delivered them by hand and every time they had to come down from whatever floor they are on! I imagine the reason for the policy is that all mail is security screened at a remote location before it ever arrives at their offices.